The Greatness of Kate
by The Italian Peach
Summary: [Ziva Bashing, Oneshot] Ziva wonders why everyone is taking Kate's death so seriously. She asks Tony, and in return, she gets a list of reasons why Kate was better than her. A fic for Ziva haters :D


**SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS**

O-M-F-G. Did you see Ziva ask Tony out? Did you see Tony accept? WTF IS WRONG WITH THE PRODUCERS?

And the really sad part is, it was going to be Kate asking Tony out. From _No specific reason has been given for Sasha Alexander's departure from the show. **Her replacement, Cote de Pablo (below), was integrated into the show with the same storyline in which Sasha Alexander was written out. **_

So see, the producers had planned to get Tony and Kate together, but no! Sasha Alexander had to call it quits. So instead of TATE, we get TIVA. What the hell? Does anyone else think this is wrong?

If Tony and Ziva start going out, I will smash something. If they kiss, I will stop watching NCIS. If I get word that they mentioned that they slept together…well let's not go there. It's not Halloween yet.

**NO MORE SPOILERS! NO MORE SPOILERS! NO MORE SPOILERS! NO MORE SPOILERS! NO MORE SPOILERS! NO MORE SPOILERS!**

Good news: There have been no TIVA fics appearing! YAY!

This isn't necessarily a TATE. It's more of a "Let's put Ziva down and show her that we hate her" fic.

SPOILERS: Some spoilers for a couple of episodes in Season 3. Nothing drastic though.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

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She only wanted to belong.

As soon as Ziva had told Tony that she'd be on his NCIS team, she knew something was wrong. She had been trained by Mossad to notice little things, and her training picked up the flash of anger that lit up his face.

Everyone guarded themselves around her. She was the outsider, and they weren't going to let her in. Abby especially. She knew that Kate and Abby were best friends, but she was still stumped about why Abby hated her so much. She hoped that the Goth would come around soon.

McGee seemed to welcome her the most. Maybe it was because he knew what it felt like to be the newcomer. Still, Ziva sensed that even he was hiding something from her. He was reluctant to look her in the eye, and on the field, he tried to be as far away from her as possible, as if she were a germ.

Gibbs. The look Gibbs gave her when she tried to sit down at Kate's old desk could've killed. He didn't want her. He was only taking her as his agent because he'd been ordered to. She had eventually been admitted to Kate's desk, but she wasn't comfortable with it. There seemed to be a presence there that didn't want her.

And Tony? Ziva thought he was the most wonderful thing. He was so hot, and the way he shamelessly flirted with her when she'd first met him…Even Tony wasn't himself around her. She remembered the way he'd stared at her when he arrived at work to find her sitting in Kate's desk. It had not been a pleasant glance.

She was Kate's replacement. She was there to fill up the space of something that couldn't be replaced.

_What was so great about Kate?_ she asked herself. It was an unanswered question.

Now, as Gibbs announced that everyone could go home, she promised that she would get it answered.

Packing up quickly, she glanced over at Tony, who was staring at his desk forlornly. "Hey," she called over, "What are you still doing here? It's 9:00. Wasn't today the big birthday dinner?" She was referring to the romantic dinner that Tony was planning for his girlfriend for her birthday. He'd even bought lingerie for her as a present.

A sad voice answered, "No. We broke up."

"Why?"

"Her husband didn't think it was a good idea."

Ziva made a face. "She was married?"

He nodded gloomily.

She walked over to his desk and leaned over. "Do you still have those dinner reservations?"

Tony looked up, a gleam in his eye. She nodded. "I'll pay."

Ziva decided that Tony was a good person to ask about the greatness of Kate. In the seclusion of the elevator, she turned to the man and asked bluntly, "What was so great about Kate?"

He turned to her, surprised. "Excuse me?"

"You know. I mean, yea it's sad and all that she died, but you guys are taking her death way too personally. She was your coworker, your partner. You can grieve for a while, but come on, she's been dead for weeks. When are you guys going to let go?"

The small metal box bulged with tension. Tony leaned over and stopped the elevator, his movements harsh.

Ziva twitched as the elevator jerked to a stop. "Hey! What are you doing?"

Tony whirled on her. "Don't you ever let me hear you talk about Kate like she was just an ordinary agent!"

Ziva stepped back. Tony was frightening in his anger. "I'm sorry, but the way I see it, that's exactly what she was."

His eyes narrowed. "Kate wasn't just part of the team. She was part of our family! I don't know how Mossad handles things, but in America, we treat our partners as if they were family!"

Ziva felt her anger well up as well. "I'm sorry about your loss, but really! All you guys do is 'Kate this…' and 'Kate that…' Every time someone mentions her, you get all teary eyed."

"Listen Ziva," Tony spat, "Can you draw, and can you profile? Can you turn any conversation with me into an argument? I didn't think so. But Kate, Kate could do all of that and so much more. She was on a personal connection with the whole team. She was Gibbs's and Ducky's daughter, Abby's best friend, McGee's mentor, and my-" He stopped suddenly, as if looking for the right word. "She was my sister."

All at once, Ziva saw what Kate's real connection with Tony was. "You were in love with her, weren't you?" she asked, her voice accusing.

His faced flushed, but he didn't answer her question. "And you know what really bugs me about you Ziva? The way you act as if you knew Kate. You're always saying, 'I don't think Kate will mind this…' How the hell do you know what she would mind? And the way you act toward Gibbs? That's complete disrespect! Kate never, ever would've even thought about talking back to him. I don't care if you saved someone's life. You are only part of our team on paper.

You're Kate's replacement, but you're doing a crappy job at it. You're nothing like her at all. What's so great about Kate, you ask? Well I'll tell you." Tony leaned right in close to Ziva. "Kate was everything you aren't, and she was everything you'll never be."

The elevator started up again, and they continued the rest of the ride in silence.

**Fin**

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Ziva bashing! It'll be the newest trend :D I actually don't mind Ziva's attitude toward Gibbs. It's time that someone rebelled against him. But I still hate her. Sorry for being closed-minded and all about a new character!

Review! Ahem, and if you're wondering, there will be a rant at the beginning of most of my stories from now on.


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